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Utah Thrives: Robert Putnam

Written by: Dan Bammes

Harvard political science professor Robert Putnam talks with Dan Bammes and Utah Foundation President Peter Reichard about the idea of social capital — the central idea of his groundbreaking book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. He also talks about his more recent book, Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis, that looks at the growing gap between wealthy American families and others who’ve found education and social mobility much harder to … Continued

New data show Utah still last in nation in per-pupil spending

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Is Utah still last in the nation in per-pupil spending? Yes. Census data released on May 21 show that Utah is still last at $7,179. Nonetheless, spending has been on the increase in Utah and nationally. In fact, U.S. per-pupil spending has increased for five straight years. It now stands at $12,201 per student. That puts Utah at 59% of the national average. But how are Utah students performing? Future Utah Foundation research will look … Continued

Utah’s Quality of Life – Video

Written by: Shawn Teigen

Utah Foundation occasionally surveys Utahns in an effort to understand how they feel about both their community and their personal quality of life. This video describes why Utah’s community quality of life is declining, and shows how quality of life is affected by demographic factors. This is all described in further detail in our report Utah Foundation Quality of Life Survey: Measuring Utahns’ Perceptions of their Communities, Personal Lives.  

Utah Thrives: Teacher Pay

Written by: Dan Bammes

Why should a young person in Utah make the career decision to become a teacher? Why do potential teachers often choose another line of work? And how do Utah’s pay scales for teachers compare to other Mountain states and the nation? In this edition of Utah Thrives, we’ll talk about the new Utah Foundation report Apples to Apples: How Teacher Pay in Utah Stacks up to the Competition. We’ll hear from Utah Foundation President Peter … Continued

Utah’s thriving economy complicates teacher pay challenge

Written by: Peter Reichard

It’s usually a simple equation. If you want high-performing schools, you need high-performing teachers. The question – particularly for a fast-growing state like Utah – is how to attract and retain them. In its new report, Apples to Apples? How Teacher Pay in Utah Stacks Up to the Competition, Utah Foundation reveals that average teacher pay in our state is well below the national average and at the bottom of the eight Mountain States. But … Continued

Rio Tinto to be Honored with Utah Foundation’s Civic Cornerstone Award

Written by: Dan Bammes

Rio Tinto to be Honored with Utah Foundation’s Civic Cornerstone Award Annual Luncheon Features Professor Robert Putnam as Keynote Speaker   Rio Tinto will be honored with the Civic Cornerstone Award at Utah Foundation’s 2019 Annual Luncheon on May 21st at the Little America Hotel. Utah Foundation’s supporters include companies and organizations that serve as true champions of the civic community. Through the Civic Cornerstone Award, Utah Foundation seeks to recognize these supporters’ remarkable contributions … Continued

Utah Thrives – The Future of Taxation in Utah

Written by: Dan Bammes

The 2019 legislative session ended without a significant restructuring of Utah’s sales tax system. There’s agreement on the general goals – broadening the base of goods and services subject to the sales tax – but the clock ran out on the session before the details could be negotiated. State Senator Luz Escamilla, a Democrat, and Representative Robert Spendlove, a Republican, presented their thoughts on where the process is going now when they spoke to the … Continued

Efforts to address suicide in Utah gaining momentum

Written by: Peter Reichard

Springtime is now upon us. The bluer skies, brighter sun and singing birds offer a welcome relief from the long winter. But the joy of spring doesn’t touch everybody. In fact, suicide rates in the U.S. are highest this time of year. In recent months, suicide has received increasing attention in Utah. Higher education and K-12 officials are placing new emphasis on mental health. A recent report from the Utah Foundation, “Getting to Tomorrow: Addressing … Continued

Rethinking Rehabilitation — Video

Written by: Sam Brucker

Drug treatment programs for criminal offenders can provide significant cost savings to the criminal justice system and reduce recidivism rates. Treatment programs have also been shown to reduce overdose deaths after release from prison. One recent federal study found a five-fold return to the public on investments in drug rehabilitation programs for offenders. However, treatment programs vary widely in intensity and approach. This video provides background on the issue, described in further detail in our … Continued

Taking a closer look at economic development incentives

Written by: Peter Reichard

Necessity is the mother of invention. Back in the 1950s, California policymakers were faced with the challenge of coming up with matching funds for federal redevelopment grants. They concocted a revolutionary idea: They would set the pre-development property tax revenue from the subject site as a baseline, then use the new incremental revenue generated as a result of the redevelopment as a means of financing the local match. Local taxpayers wouldn’t be asked to pay … Continued